Some traditions are just not meant to be broken and a Memorial Day in Star Valley, WY is one of them! Here is my favorite picture from the weekend! Cute kids hanging out in the van trying to stay out of the rain.
This has always been such a special holiday! It has all of it's familiar sights, smells, stories, people, laughter! The mountains are beautiful...it smells of farm country and rain...the stories are often the same ones, with something new every year...the people aren't as many as the reunions from when I was a kid, but you can always count on the same, amazing few! There is always laughter, music, tears, good memories, good times!
Before heading to Star Valley we did stay a night or two in Kemmerer with Matt's parents. The kids had a blast helping to split and stack wood!
First the splitting:
Then carrying to the side of the house:
Then dropping it through the chute!
Downstairs to Emily where we would all stack it!
Silly Taylor...is it really that exhausting! :)
We always have a great time at Grandma and Grandpa Gardner's!
On Sunday morning we left in time to meet everyone for church in Star Valley....the Fairview Ward. It was great to walk into the chapel and see so many familiar faces! First to see family and then to see many friends that I remember from when I was a kid visiting in primary or young womens!
The rest of Sunday we just relaxed with family. Singing, playing and visiting.
(ha ha dad! I said don't look at the camera...just act natural!) :)
(oh...but Mindy didn't get the memo either...what is everyone laughing about here?!) :)
Monday we woke up to head to both the Fairview and Afton cemeteries. Then we went back to my Aunt Beth and Uncle Ralph's house (for the last time :( as they just sold it and are moving down here). Here we had a mini reunion with the familiar creamy meatballs in the brownish/orangish crockpot, macaroni and jello salads, olives, chicken, rice crispy treats etc. It's always a feast while visiting with family! Later that afternoon we left for home....my parents going their direction and us splitting off to go ours.
We really don't know what our plans are for this tradition. It does get harder and harder to get up there. I do love being in Star Valley! So many amazing memories there! I miss my grandparents more than anything, but love to think about them and remember so many great times with them, cousins and so much other family! Hopefully we'll get up there again soon! :)
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